Across a shrubby plain in northwest Fort Worth, baby prairie dogs poke their heads out of burrows and prop themselves up on their hind legs. Some of the gerbil-sized pups even attempt a bark, which, at their age, sound more like squeals. They are a joy to watch.
Alongside Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge manager Jared Wood, I stand on the newly-completed Prairie Dog Town boardwalk and viewing deck, which overlooks one of two prairie dog colonies here. I interrupt our conversation every few seconds to point out a pup tussling with its sibling or something similarly adorable.
Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge…